Electrical Safety for Non-Electrical WorkersPicture of the Week

Collider-Accelerator Department5-21-2013

Take 5 for SafetyTake 5 for Safety

Overview

Just because you aren’t an electrician or electrical worker does not mean that you are exempt from electrical hazards

Painters, tree trimmers, industrial machine installers, and others have all been killed from electricity

This electrical safety topic is designed to increase awareness among workers who are not considered electrical workers because the hazards are potentially higher for them

Occupational Groups Selected Occupations

  Total

Construction Trades Workers Electricians Construction Laborers Roofers Painters, construction and maintenance Carpenters

  300 146 43 39 32

642

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations Electrical Power-Line installers and repairers Industrial Machinery Installation, Repair, and Maintenance Workers Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers

  132 71 55 24

366

Grounds Maintenance Workers Tree Trimmers and Pruners Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

  79 29

113

Transportation and Material Moving Occupations Drivers/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers Material Moving Workers

  50 44

108

Other Management Occupations   76Agricultural Workers   43

Subtotal 

 Percent of Electrical Workers

 

1044  

44%

1348  

34%

Fatalities, 2003- 2010, Over 65% of Workers In The Selected Occupational Group Who Died Were NOT Electrical Workers

Source: Electrical Safety Foundation International

DOE Shock Statistics

Causes of Shocks

Faulty Equipment Attention to Task

· Overhead power lines

· Plugging and unplugging equipment

· Situational Awareness

Inadequate procedures

Lack of training/qualification for assigned task

Scope creep Inadequate Planning Inadequate/untested

PPE Lack of preventive

maintenance

Some Lessons Learned

Look before you leap· Is the equipment listed by a Nationally

Recognized Testing Lab such as UL, or otherwise approved?

· Are there hidden hazards that your work may inadvertently access during your activity?

· Routine activities – plugging and unplugging equipment, picking up electrical devices, etc. require that you pay attention to what you are doing

Some Lessons Learned• Use a GFCI for additional protection, especially

when working outdoors or in damp/wet locations • Many DOE sites require a GFCI be used with portable

power tools• The Consumer Product Safety Commission believes

that GFCI receptacles are responsible for saving thousands of lives since they became required in residential and commercial buildings

• GFCI receptacles limit the potential current to a safe value – if you get shocked, you still need to report it, but you won’t be seriously injured

• Garages are another place you should always use a GFCI

• TEST your GFCI’s monthly for operability. While many have fail-safe circuits now, many GFCI receptacles have been in use for 15 or 20 years, and may not function as designed

Summary

• Remember – just because you aren’t an electrician or an electrical worker, electricity can still find – and kill – you or a coworker• Maintain a healthy respect for the electrical equipment you use• Pay attention to seemingly low-risk, routine activities• People are shocked, sometimes severely, when plugging and

unplugging equipment from wall outlets and power strips• Maintain your electrical equipment• Test your GFCI receptacles• Look at your power tool cords for signs of wear before each use